Adjustable reclining chair



April 13, 1954 Q M ERSKlNE 2,675,061

ADJUSTABLE RECLINING CHAIR Filed May 2l, 1955 Patented Apr. 13, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE RECLINING CHAIR Don M. Erskine, Tab, Ind.

Application May 21, 1953, Serial No. 356,452

4 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to adjustable reclining chairs.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved chair of extremely simple, sturdy construction which is readily convertible reversibly from a first seating position to a second seating position by simultaneous rearward tilting of the chair back rest and lowering of the rear portion of the chair seat, the chair having an inherent stability in both positions of adjustment which enables it to support a heavy loading without strain on its component elements. A related object is to provide a chair of this character which can be easily converted from either seating position to the other by a simple, straightforward manual force applied to the back rest of the chair.

Another object is to provide a chair of the character recited which is automatically retained in either seating position by the weight of the chair itself, the degree of such retaining action being increased by the weight of an occupant of the chair.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an illustrative form of the invention shown in the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side View of an adjustable chair embodying the invention, the chair being shown in reclining position and illustrated in phantom in straight chair position;

Figure 2 is a top View of the chair shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 3--3 of Fig. l.

Having a framework of aluminum tubing or the like, the chair embodying the illustrated form of the invention comprises a generally U- shaped support frame I2 including two slightly arched support rails I4 extending forwardly from opposite ends of a transverse cross bar I6, The forward ends of the rails I4 are turned upwardly to form a pair of upright support members I6.

A seat 26 is pivoted at 22 to the upper ends of the support members I6 to extend rearwardly therefrom in generally overlying relation to the rails I4. In this instance the seat itself is formed from a rectangular frame 24 covered by a latticework 26 of fabric webbing, metal bands, or the like, running between the opposite side rails 28, 29 and cross bars 30, 3l of the frame. Convenient arm rests 3|a are provided on opposite sides of the seat 2D by inverted, U-shaped tubular members attached to the adjacent side rails 28, 29 of the seat frame 24.

The rear end ofthe seat 20 is pivotally connected to a vertically swingable back rest 32. In the preferred construction shown, the back rest 32 comprises a U-shaped tubular member including a top bar 34 at the upper end of the back rest and two parallel legs 36 extending downwardly from the top bar land pivotally connected to the seat 20 at opposite ends 38 of the rear cross bar 3U of the seat frame 24. Thus located with its center line coinciding with the axis of the pivotal connections 38 between the seat 2D and the back rest 32, the seat cross bar 3l]` completes the back rest frame and serves also as a support for latticework 42 extending between the cross bar and the top bar 34 and between the two legs 36. i i

The back rest 32 and the attached rear end of the seat 26 are supported by two rear support legs 44 on the back rest 32 which extend downwardly to engage the respective support rails I4. In the preferred construction illustrated these rear support legs are formed by lengthening the back rest frame legs 36 to protrude below the pivotal connections 38 with the seat 20.

The lower ends of the support legs 44 are connected to the respective support frame rails I4 by upwardly swingable toggle links 46, Preferably each toggle link 46 is formed by a pair of opposed, T-shaped plates 48 embracing opposite sides of the lower end of the associated leg 44 and the coacting rail I4, the` shank portions of the plates being connected by a pivot 50 to the support rail and the T-head portions of the plates being medially pivoted at 52 to the leg.

Reversible conversion of the chair from a first or straight chair seating position (shown in phantom in Fig. 1), in which the legs 44 support the back 32 and the rear end of the seat 20 in raised positions for straight chair seating comfort, and a reclining chair seating position (shown in solid lines in Fig. l), in which` the legs 44 support the back and the rear end of the seat in lowered positions for reclining chair seating com- Y fort, is readily accomplished simply by moving toggle plates 48 simultaneously engage the lower ends of the respective supporting legs 44 and the Y port members, seating means pivotally connected to said support members and extending rearwardly therefrom into generally overlying relation to said support means, back rest means pivotally connected to the rear portion of said seating means and including a pair of rear support legs extending downwardly to rest on said support means, and upwardly swingable toggle links conl nected between said support means and the lower ends of said respective legs to locate the latter in rearward positions on said supporting means in v `which said legs support said back rest and the underlying portions of the supportrails -l4to pro- Y vide additional support against lateral displacement of the legs from the rails. Also, the extreme lower ends of the support legs Maremedially re- -v lieved in the present instance to form saddles 54 Y shaped to engage the respective rails I4.

Despite its simplicityof construction, the adjustable chair thus Yformed is inherently sturdy in both of its seatingpositionsfstructural components ofthe chair being substantially free of stress concentrations conducive to their rupture or failure.

While I have shown and described-a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent that numerous variations and modifications thereof may be made without departing from the underlying principles and scope of Athe invention. I therefore desire, by the following claims, to include all such variationsyand modifications by which substantially the results of my invention may be obtained through the use of substantially the same or equivalent means.

' I claim:

1. A chair adjustable for use as a straight chair or-as a reclining chair and comprising, incombination, a pair of laterally spaced support members, rail means extending rearwardly from said respective support members, seating means pivotally connected to said support members and extending rearwardly therefrom, a back rest pivotal-ly connected to the rear portion of said seating means and extending upwardly therefrom, a pair of rear support legs on said back rest extending downwardly to engage said rail means, the vlower ends of said legs being'shiftable along said rail means between a rear position thereon in which said legs support said back restand the rear portion of said seating means in raised vpositions for straight chair'seating comfort anda forward position thereon in which said legs support said back rest andthe rear portion of said seating means in lowered positions for reclining chair seating comfort,rand retaining means on said rail means for holding said lower ends of said support legs in said respective positions thereof.

2.l An adjustable chair comprising, in combination, a pair of laterally spaced support members,

support means disposedrearwardly of said suprear portion of said seating means in raised positions for straight chair seating comfort or in for- .ward positions on said support means in which said legs support said back rest and the rear por-V tion of said seating means in lowered positions for reclining chair seating comfort.

3. An adjustable chair for providing seating comfort in a first seating position and a second seating position, comprising, in combination, a seat, frame means pivotally supporting the forward end of said `seat and underlying the rear portion thereof, a back rest pivoted to the rear end of said seat and having support means thereon extending downwardly to engage the underlying portion of said Support frame, and upwardly swingable link meansA Yinterconnecting said frame and said back support means for shiftably positioning the latter in either forwarder rearward positions of adjustment on said frame.

4. An adjustable chair for providing seating comfort in a rst seating position and a second seating position inclined rearwardly therefrom, comprising, in combination, a seat, means pivotally supporting the forwardA end of said seat, `a pair ci laterally spaced rails underlying said seat, a `bacl rest pivotally connected toY the rearl end of said seat, a pair of support legs extending downwardly from said back rest to engage said respective rails, two upwardly swingable toggle levers pivotally connecting said respective legs to the coacting rails, and each vof said levers comprising a pair of opposed T-shaped plates having head portions thereof pivotally connected to opposite sides of the lower end of the associated support leg and shank portions thereof pivotally connected to opposite sides of the coacting rail.

References Cited in the file `of this patent 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Y Date 162,447 Wilson Apr. 20,' 1875 238,890 Harding Mar. l15, 1881 2,642,122 Maurer June 16, 195.3

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 106,799 Great Britain Mar. 16, 19.39 518,062 Great Britain Feb. 15, 1940 

